Electric time-switch.



No. 7ll,|98. Patented Oct. I4, I902.

VI. 8. COULTER. I

ELECTRIC TIIE SWITCH.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIcE.

\VILLIAM B. COULTER, CF WVATERBURY, CONNECTICUT.

ELECTRIC TIM E-SW ITCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 711,198, dated October14, 1902.

Application filed February 24,1902. Serial No. 95,247. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, XVILLIAM B. Contains, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of \Vaterbury, in the county of New Haven andState of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Time- Switches for Electric Lights, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to devices for automatically turning on and offelectric lights, and comprises in part a time-movement which can be setto trip the mechanism to perform said operation at any predeterminedtime.

It is the object of the invention to simplify, cheapen, and improve theconstruction of devices of this class, and especially to produce what Iwill term a double'acting trip mechanism-that is, one which will bothturn the lights on and turn them off without the presence of anattendant, as will later be more fully explained.

With the above objects in view my invention resides and consists in thenovel construction and combination of parts shown upon the accompanyingtwo sheets of drawings, forminga part of this specification, upon whichsimilar characters of reference denote like or corresponding partsthroughout the several figures, and of which- Figure 1 shows aperspective view of my improved time-switch complete. Fig. 2 is a frontelevation of the same, the switch being in a closed position and theother parts changed accordingly. Fig. 3 shows in perspective view partof the clock-movement dial-stem and the several external members,including special disks forming a part of myinvention.

Referring in detail to the characters of reference marked upon thedrawings, a indicates the switch-block; b, the operating-levcnwhich issuitably pivoted to a stud secured to said block. 0 represents a socketthat is also secured to the switch-block and into which the lever beforementioned is thrown to form the circuit. This stud and socket alsoconstitute the attaching-points for the field-wires in the usual manner.There may be any number of these levers, sockets, and pivotal points inaccordance with the capacity of the switch desired, and, in fact, anyform of this class of switch may be operated by my invention. A

handle d is applied to the levers through an insulating cross-bar d inthe manner indicated, and to this handle I make my operativeconnections, as will be later described.

\Veights are employed as the direct medium for operating this switch,one of said weights serving to throw the switch in and the other one tothrow it out. The weight e, which serves to draw the switch in, isprovided with a chain f, which is connected to the handle and runs overa pulley g and draws up on the switch-lever, while the weight h isconnected to the lever direct by the chain '0' and draws the switch outby gravity when freed from its holding. Each of these weights isprovided with an engaging loop or staplej, which in practice serves as ameans for engaging the short end 7;. of operating levers l and on. Theselevers are pivoted in suitable brackets 07., which are secured to thebase 0.

The lever! for convenience is preferably bent slightly, shown in Fig. 1,while the lever on is straight. The weights are suspended from the shortend of the levers in a manner to exert a slight upward tendency to theopposite or long end, as will again be referred to. Intermediate ofthese levers I provide a post 1), having stop-pins therein to limit theupward throw of the long end of the levers, as is obviously desirable.

q represents a clock-movement, which may be of the usual or anypreferred make of clock. This movement is secured to the base by screws,as shown, or otherwise, and its main stem 0, which carries the hands,would be made slightly longer than usual, so as to receive special disks'0 and iv, thatI employ to operate the levers, as will now be morespecifically referred to. The stem r is provided with a suitableshoulder s, to the back of which the hand is soldered and against whichdisks 1; and w are threaded or placed. In order to secure a properadjustment of these disks upon the stem and to set the movement tooperate at any predetermined time, I provide aseries of twenty-fourholes in the shoulders,before mentioned, and a series of twelve or moreholes osiu the outer disk to. The inner disk '2) is provided with a hub.2, and a pin 6 is carried by the disk and hub in a manner to projectand engage any one of the holes in the shoulder or disk, thus making thedisk adj nstable with relation to the dial y of the clock-movement,which latter is divided and numbered to represent the hours, halves, andquarters.

The parts referred to are assembled in substantially the order indicatedin Fig. 3, the pointer or hand being preferably soldered to the shoulders. The disk v, which trips the lever Z for turning on the lights, andits hub z are a sliding fit on the stem. The outer disk w, whichcontrols the lever m for turning off the lights, is next applied, andfinally a thumb-nut a, which engages the threaded end of the stem 7' tohold the parts in place, it being obvious, of course, that this nut canbe screwed off and the disks readjusted whenever it may be desired tochange the time of operation. The disks 1; and w referred to areprovided with radial slots or pockets 1) and w, respectively. The leversare provided with rolls Z and m to ride upon the under side of theperiphery of said disks and drop into the pockets when their respectivedisks have moved around sufiic'iently. When this registration takesplace, the weight upon the other end of the lever causes the long end ofthe lever to fly up, pending the sliding off of the weight, which by theforce of its drop throws the switch in or out, according to theparticular lever operated.

Having described the construction, I will briefly refer to the operationof my device, calling attention to Fig. 1, where the machine is showncomplete, the switch being open. As set, this arrangement would causethe operation of the lever Z at about six oclock, and thus when the dialhad turned around until the pointer n and the slot 1; registered withthe numeral 6 upon the dial said slot would have likewise registeredwith the roll of the lever 1, thus permitting the same to drop into theslot and slide its weight off, drawing the switch-lever into the socket,as shown in Fig. 2, whereupon the lever would immediately assume itsoriginal position and the disks would continue to turn with the movementof the clock-stem until the slot in the second disk, which is set fourhours later, would register with the roll of the second lever, causingit to tilt up and free its weight, which has a direct fall and wouldthrow the switch open.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is V 1. In an electric-circuit time-switch, thecombination with a time-movement, of a fixed shoulder upon themovement-stern provided with a series of holes, a notched disk adjustably mounted upon the stem and bearing a pin to register with one ofsaid holes, means for clamping the parts together, a lever pivoted tobear against the periphery of the disk, a weight detachably connected tothe opposite end of the lever, an electric switch .and chain connectionbetween the weight and the switch whereby the latter is operated by thereleasement ofthe former.

2. In an electric time-switch the combination with a time-movement, of arotary disk carried thereby bearing a peripheral pocket, a lever pivotedto engage the disk, a weight detachably connected to the opposite end ofthe lever in a manner to hold it in engagement with the disk, a switch,a chain connected' with said weight, and switch, a roll over which theconnection is carried in a manner to close the switch by the fall of theweight.

3. In an electric time-switch, the combina tion with a movement, of thestem driven thereby bearing a shoulder having a series of holes, anotched disk mounted in said stem and bearing a pin on opposite sides, asecond disk mounted upon said stem bearing a series of holes to registerwith one of the pins of the previous movement, means for securing theparts together, levers to engage the disks,weights for the levers,aswitch and connections therefrom with the weights whereby said switch isclosedby the releasement of tion with a time-movement, of astem driventhereby bearing a shoulder having a series of holes, a notched disk adjustably mounted on said stem bearing a pin to engage one of said holesand a second pin upon the opposite side of said disk, an outer diskdetachably mounted on the stem and bearing holes to register with saidsecond pin, means for securing the parts together, levers and weightsinterposed between the disk and switch whereby the latter is openedorclosed at predetermined times by the clock-movement.

5. In an electric time-switch, the combination with a switch, a pair ofweights connected with the same, one adapted to open and the other toclose the switch, pivotal levers upon which the weights are hung,pocketed disks controlling the position of the opposite end of thelever, a time-movement bearing a stem upon which the disks are mounted,means for adjusting the disks upon the stem to change the time ofoperation, comprising a series of holes guided by the stem and one ofthe disks, and pins carried by the other disk to engage one of each setof holes, and means for retaining the parts in position.

Signed at Waterbury, in the countyof New of February, A. D. 1902.

WILLIAM B. COULTER.

Witnesses:

JOHN C. SHERWOOD,

GEORGE ROBBINS.

one weight and opened by the releasement of I v the other. 4. In anelectric time-switch, the combina- Haven and State of Connecticut, this15th day

